Chirps and Cheeps

I just happened to be at the right spot at the right time today! A Summer Tanager, a more southern bird, was found at Tifft Nature Preserve, where I happened to be birding. I came upon the BOS group all looking up into a tree - and there was ONE of today's two lifers! 

What a wonderful find by Joe Mitchell. I got a few photos of this beautiful, young male - but not nearly as nice as the photo Jim Pawlicki captured (with permission: Jim's photo on Flickr).

I had forgotten there was a group trip planned to Tifft - so this was very fortuitous for me! I tagged along with the group and, in addition to the Black and White, Yellow and Yellow-rumped Warblers we found numbers of, I was very happy to see my FOY Cape May Warbler, American Redstart, and Black-throated Blue Warblers. I also found my FOY Gray Catbird and a Belted Kingfisher on my way out of the preserve. It was also very nice to reacquaint myself with some of the great members of the BOS group too!

Later in the evening, after Sammie's (my 6 year old granddaughter) birthday party, I put on my hiking gear and went across the road to the neighboring vineyards.  Kate and I had tried for an American Woodcock out there about a month earlier - and HEARD the peenting of a woodcock, but never got a visual of it.  So, I KNEW it was a good spot to try again. I was hopeful for tonight. After I got out there, I waited and waited and waited... and just as I was heading back to the house, I heard the peent! I stalked the little guy and finally, oh finally, I saw my nemesis bird - an American Woodcock in all its glory!  I tried for some photos but they turned out so grainy, I'm not even going to post them.  But I'm still on a "high" from the find!

Two lifers in one day - it doesn't get much better!  

Oh, and back home, we had a flock of about 30 Pine Siskins stop by for a couple of days over the weekend. Nice treat!